Hen&#39;s nest



April 1, 1952 H. E. SMITH I 2,591,021

HENS NEST Filed July 3, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ldt/goln .3 J 4' d HTTORNEKS.

April 952 H. E. mm 2,591,021

' HENS NEST Filed July 5, 1950 3 SheetswSheet 3 Y INVENTOR, #eZraer'E- 521E557:

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fiTTORNEKS Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,591,021 HENS NEST HelmerE. Smith,- Sheldon, Iowa Application July ,3, 1950,: SerlalNo. 171,877

Claims. 1 This invention relates toa hens nest in which a large number of hens maybe accommodated when laying.

An object of the invention is to providea housing in which two compartmentsare formed by the novel construction of this invention, one of the compartments being the place for the laying fowls, while the other compartment is forthe eggs that have been laid.

Another object of the invention is, the construction of an eificient sectional cover or .roof for the housing, one of which sectionsis preferably provided with a depending integralportion which constitutes a division in the housing, whereby a laying compartment and an e compartment is formed in the housing.

A still further object of. the invention is the construction of a hens nest in which there is a hinged cover or roof section that is provided with means for automatically locking the said section in a closed position uponthe housing of the nest.

. Another object of the invention is the construction of an efilcient perch structure, whereby the entrance of the hen into the housing is greatly facilitated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an efiicient detachable floor for the .housing of this invention.

With the foregoing and other objects in. view,

my invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements or. parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more. particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of a hens nest constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged central sectional view taken on line 33, Figure 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line5-'-5,

Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view showing parts broken away taken on ;line 6-6, Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated,

. consequently the right-angled flange I3a on the two.brackets 2, provided with apertures 3, for suspending thenest in a building, as the operator desires.

The inclined roof or cover 4 of the housing I comprises a fixed section 5, a primary hinged section 6 and an auxiliary hinged section I, Fig. 3. The sections 6 and I are provided with hinges S that securethe sections together. The primary section. 6 isxprovided with an integral, depending portion 9 which normally engages angle guides IIJ; these guides III are fastened by rivets Illa to the inner faces of the sides IIIb (Fig. 3) .ofthe housing. and terminate at their lower ends a distance from the detachable floor II sufficient to permit the eggs laid in the compartment I2 to pass into the egg-:receiving compartment I3.

,The, depending. vertical portion 9 and the hinged section 6 are formed of a springy sheet metal and lowerend of portion 9 snaps under the angle guide III as shown by dotted lines A in Figure 3, whereby. the hinged section 6 is fastened or locked onthe housing in a closed position until .the lower flange I3 is grasped by the operator and pulled outwardly sufiicient to clear the guides I6 whereupon. the hinged sections 6 and I may be raised for the inspection of the compartment I2. When it-is desired to remove the eggs from the compartment I3, it is only necessary for the operator to raise the auxiliary hinged section 1, and collect the eggs without disturbing the hens in When the eggs roll down thejfloor' II, passing under flange I3, they will come in contact with the horizontal rubber bumper I4 without injury to the eggs.

In the sides of the housing I are two entrance openings I5 which allow the hens to pass into the compartment I2. On each side of the housing are two vertical angle supports I6. These supports are at opposite sides of the opening I5 and on the outwardly extending portion I! of each support is'pivotally mounted at I8 a bracket "I9. Ona pair of these brackets I9 is a perch 20;

thisperch is fastened on brackets I9 by any suitable means. The inner end of bracket I9 in each instance, is cut on an inclined angle, Fig. 6, so that the brackets can be pivoted upwardly to permit the perch to .be swung to a closed position .close to the housing when desired. When the perch is in its'operating position, as shown in the drawings, the inner end 2| is impinging against the inner portion of the vertical angle support, whereby the perch is held securely in 3 an open horizontal position. The hen can fly to the perch 20 and easily enter the opening 15, passing thence into the compartment [2. The opening I5 is formed by cutting the metal with the portions 22, Fig. 3, turned back, whereby no sharp or cutting edges will be exposed against which hens may contact.

In the bottom of the housing I are preferably two slidable clean-out pans 23. The housing has horizontal flanges 24 upon which the clean-out pans 23 are mounted. Each clean-out pan 23 is provided with a grip flange 25, Fig. 3, that can be easily grasped by the operator.

The hinged auxiliary section 7 is provided with a depending grip flange la.

The floor [I comprises a frame including two side sections, Fig. 6, and two end sections 27, Fig. 4. Secured to the end sections 21 are wire mesh holders 28. These wire mesh holders are each substantially U-shape in cross section. Within the wire mesh holders 28 is the wire mesh 29. The wire mesh 29, besides being secured within the holders 28,'is also spot welded to the side sections 26. Each side section 26 .is provided with a depending flange 30 between which flanges 30 of the two side sections 26 are positioned the tubular braces 3i and the central protecting brace 32. The central protecting brace 32 is substantially U-shape in cross section, Fig. 4, and prevents the droppings from marring or lodging upon the two central flanges 24, Fig. 4. Each tubular brace 3| is provided at its ends with right angular positioned lips 33, Fig. 6, which are preferably soldered to the flanges 39 of the side sections 26. Besides performing the function of a brace, the tubular brace 3| in each instance acts as a self-cleaning device, in that the droppings engaging the same will roll or readily drop off onto the cleaning pan 23. When it is desired to clean the nest the operator removes the floor I I through the rear open end of the housing, and then the cleaning pans can be drawn out of the housing with the droppings and litter thereon when the cleaning of the nest is in progress.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates, during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such alterations or changes as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: p

1. In a hens nest of the class described, the

combination with a housing, said housing pro-I vided with guides fastened to the inner faces of its sides, a cover including a section provided with a depending portion adapted to engage said guides, and said section provided with means for engaging the bottom of said guides for locking uides secured to the sides of said housing, each guide terminating short of the floor of said housing, a sectional cover on said housing, said cover including a primary section and an auxiliary sec tion, said primary section provided with an integral downwardly-extending portion engaging said guides, said downwardly-extending portion provided with a right-angled flange on its lower edge, said right-angled flange normally positioned under the lower edges of said guides, said downwardly-extending portion producing a laying compartment and an egg compartment in said housing, said housing provided with a yieldable bumper in said egg compartment, and said auxiliary section of the cover covering said egg compartment, whereby the auxiliary section can be raised independently of the primary section.

3. In a hens nest, a housing having parallel front and rear walls and parallel side walls extending between said front and rear walls, oppositely disposed guides secured to the inner faces of said side walls, a sectional cover supported on said side walls and including a front section fixed to the side walls and a second section hinged to the fixed section, said second section having a depending partition at its free edge, said partition normally resting against the edges of the guides confronting the rear wall, and means on the lower corners of said depending partition normally engaged beneath said guides, whereby said second section is normally prevented from opening and the partition is normally prevented from deflection by pressure at I the direction of the front section.

4. In a hens nest, a housing having parallel front and rear walls and parallel side walls extendin between said front and rear walls, oppositely disposed guides secured to the inner faces of said side walls, a sectional cover supported on said side walls and including a front section fixed to the side walls and a second section hinged to the fixed section, said second section having a depending partition at its free edge, said partition normally resting against the edges of the guides confronting the rear Wall, and a third cover section hinged to the second cover section at the junction of said second section and the partition.

5. In a hens nest, a housing havin parallel front and rear walls and parallel side walls extending between said front and rear walls, oppositely disposed guides secured to the inner faces of said side Walls, a sectional cover supported on said side walls and including a front section fixed to the side walls and a second section hinged to the fixed section, said second section having a depending partition at its free edge, said partition normally resting against the edges of the guides confronting the rear walls, said front wall being of greater height than the rear wall and the upper edges of the side Wall being inclined downwardly from the front wall to the rear wall, and lips on said second and third sections engaging over the side Walls.

HELMER E. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 946,323 Boettcher Jan. 11, 1910 1,153,808 Mason Sept. 14, 1915 1,807,253 Peterson May 26, 1931 1,926,183 Anderson Sept. 12, 1933 2,105,058 Smith et a1 Jan. 11, 1938 2,264,156 Apple Nov. 25, 1941 2,266,685 Dadlow Dec. 16, 1941 2,279,147 Stimson Apr. 7, 1942 2,501,475 Muehlfeld Mar. 21, 1950 

